THE WOOL SALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 15

THE WOOL SALES.

Messrs Dalgoty and Co. report having received tho following cablegram from their London office, dated 2nd inst.: —"Wool: 10,000 bales offered!; good selection; very large attendance; good competition; catalogues well cleared." - HIGH COMMISSIONER'S CABLEGRAM. * WELLINGTON, April 9. T'ha Department of Agriculture has received the following cablegram, dated April 6, from the High Commissioner:—The wool auctions have been resumed for the sale of wool on account of the Government. The first series opened on April 2, when there was keen competition from the Home trade, and prices averaged 10 per cent, above the Government schedule rates. Tho prospects are good; special lines are better sorted. About 80,000 bale 3 are available far the series which is expected to close on April 11. Of these, there are 13,700 New Zealand greasy and 9000 slipe. Hemp.—Manila: The market continues weak. "J" grade shipments, expected in April, May, and June, have been sold at £SO. New Zealand: The market closed dull. Shipments expected in April, May, or June — high point is quoted at £52; fair, £sl. THE OAMARTT MARKETS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, April 12. The grain market has been fairly active this week, a considerable quantity of wheat

having passed out of growers' hands at thf fixed price. For the most part, however, tho transactions were in lino 3 of from 50 sacks downwards, but in a few cases they ran into highly respectable figures. Foremost amongst them was a mixed line of 2000 sacks, composed of velvet, Marshall's white, and Dreadnought. Then there were 1700 sacks of velvet, ]2OO sacks of Dreadnought, 1000 sacks of mixed varieties, and several lines of 750 sacks each in different varieties or mix« tures, A little more activity has been experienced in oats, though tho volume of business has been nothing to talk about. Seed Algerian* are in request, but hard to disoover, and lota of these running 881 b to <4olb per bushel would command 8s lOd or 8s lid net afi country stations. The prices realised net to growers at country stations were:—Bright A grade Gartons, 8s id to 8s Bd{ disoolourea heavy Gartons and B's, 3s; feed Algerian*, 23 7d to 2s lOd, according to sample. A little business has been done in Cape barley at 4s 3d net at country stations. Some ryecorn has changed hands at counc try stations at. 4s 8d net.

A few lines of potatoes have been taken by merchants, but business is by no means active, and there is no disposition to operate freely. At the beginning of the week £7 net on trucks wa3 given for prime samples; but the market has weakened in sympathy with other markets, and to-day's business has been at £&.

SOUTHLAND MARKETS. (From Ora Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, April 112. There is -very little doing in oafca locally as yet. Very few parcels have eo far been submitted by growers. As far as can be ascertained, fully half of the crop is safely in stack, and it is feared) that, owing to the broken weather that has been prevailing for some weeks past, the quality will hardly be as good as' was expected, although weights are going to be satisfactory. The few parcels that have changed hands recently have brcfught in the vicinity of 3s on trucks, but it is very doubtful if buyers will oare to purchase freely at this level, owing to the uncertainty of finding a market. So far no new parcels of chaff have been on offer, and there is a fairly keen demand for any samples of last season's crop. The prices offering are £Q 10s and £6 15s, on trucks. It is anticipated that these limits will have to give way when the new crop is available.

Business in ryegrass is very restricted offerings being light, -while buyers hesitate to purchase owing to the unsatisfactory quality of the seed. Prices range from 8a 9d to 4s 3d, according to weights. The hemp market is not exciting a great deal of interest, as the majority of the millers still operating have made contracts for the balance of their season's output. Buyers are" not keen operators owing to the freight difficulty. TTigh fair is worth about £32 on trucks, and fair £3O. As it is almost impossible to secure freight Homewards, the tow market has receded, buyers being prepared to give not more than £4 on trucks for thirdgrade, and up to £5 for second-grade. GRAIN AND PRODUCE SALES. Messrs Donald Eeid and Co. report:—* Oats: There is little change to repori. Samples are not offering freely, as grower* ai-e not readily disposed to accept the prices' now being offered, by shippers. The quality «i most of the oats thrashed to date is very satisfactory. Nominal quotations: - Prime milling, 4s to 4s 3d; good to best feed, Ps fid to 3s 9d; medium and! inferior, 3s to 3s 3d per bushel (sacks extra). "Wheat: The new season's wheat is now coming forward very freely. In most cases millers hava readily accepted the lines coming to hand, but a few lots of wheat in poor condition have been saleable only as fowl wheat. For this there is fair demand, in small quantities. Potatoes: Farmers are in most oases too busy with other work to push on with digging operations. On this account the- quantity coming forward is smaller than usual, with the result that the quantity on offer locally is now very limited. All consignments in good condition are readily placed at quotations, prime freshly-dug lots being in strong demand. Best tables, £8 to £8 ss; medium to good, £1 to £7 10s; others, £5 10s to £6 per ton (sacks included). Chaff: Shippers are still out of the market, and the demand is therefore confined to local buyers. Prime oaten sheaf meets with fair dtemand, and is readily saleable ex truck on arrival, but medium and inferior samples are not in request, .and as the demand is not sufficient to absorb the supplies of these grades coming forward, many of them have to go into store to avoid demurrage charges. Best oaten sheaf, £6 to £6 10s; medium to good, £5 10s to £3 15s; light and discoloured, £4 10s to £5 per ton (bags extra). 'Messrs Dalgety and Co. report:—Oats: Dolivery of the new season's grain is very slow. This is no doubt due to the fact that growers are not disposed to accept the rates buyers are offering at present. Very little business as a consequence is passing. Values nominally are as follow: Prime milling, 4s 3d; good to best feed, 4s to 4s 2d; medium to good, 3s 6d to 3s 9d. Wheat: The bulk of th«- wheat offering is of the long-berried variety, and millers are not so keen to take this class of wheat owing to the difficulty in obtaining velvet and other cuitable varieties for mixing purposes Fowl wheat is offering more freely and meeting fair demand. Potatoes: During the past week supplies have eased off, farmers being busy with harvesting work, with the result that tha market shows a firmer tendency. All consignments of good, freshly-dug tubers are, readily disposed of on arrival at quotations. Best tables to £8 Cs; medium to good, £7 to £& per ton (sacks in). Chaff: Increased supplies havo been coming forward of late, and the demand being purely a local one, it is difficult to obtain late values. Bright, heavy, oaten sheaf is the description in most favour with feeders. Medium quality and light lines are more difficult to quit on arrival. Best oaten sheaf, £6 to £6 10s; medium to good, £5 10s to £6; light and inferior, from £4 per ton (sacks extra).

•EXPO'KTATION OF EABBITSKINS. Messrs White and Co. advise us that they have received information from their Mel* bourne correspondent that the following have been the exports of rabbitskins from Australia since the armistice: —November, 1918. 600 bales, equalling 262,1651 b; December, 1918, 2000 bales, equalling 980,6791 b; JanuaryMarch, 1919, 2500 bales to America; March—--600 bales to London, per Berrirna; 1857 bales to London, per sailer; also other shipments to London, quantity unknown. There wero 750 bales to load on a non-priority steamer and 1000 bales to load per Ceramic in April, The stocks' in hand awaiting freight onMarch 31 were 6000 odd bales in Sydney and 1650 balea in Melbourne.